Anchored opposite Isola Comacina on Lake Como, the Velarca can be described as a floating architectural structure, designed by Studio BBPR in 1959. Built on the frame of a historic Lake Como gondola for the Norsa couple—who envisioned this boat as a vacation home where they could host friends who were already regular guests at their Milan home, including Roberto Sambonet, Gio Ponti, Gillo Dorfles, Eugenio Montale, Lucio Fontana, Umberto Eco, and Cesare Musatti—this extraordinary houseboat blends local nautical tradition with 20th-century avant-garde design. Its name playfully evokes Milan’s Torre Velasca, a reference seen in the profile of the awning and the sash windows reminiscent of those on old streetcars. The custom-designed interiors make the most of every centimeter of space, transforming it into an intellectual salon that is an integral part of domestic life on the water.
